


Cap'n Top

by stubliminalmessaging



Category: Hatfields and McCoys
Genre: Incest, M/M, non sexual
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-11
Updated: 2014-03-11
Packaged: 2018-01-15 10:03:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1300921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stubliminalmessaging/pseuds/stubliminalmessaging
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A cute thing about Cotton Top bonding with Cap and showing his appreciation for all of his help.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cap'n Top

**Author's Note:**

> the only fic of this ship sob

                The first time it had happened had been one afternoon when Cap had taken Cotton Top out to the woods to practice shooting. Even though no one ever expected him to contribute he still wanted to feel helpful so he practically begged Cap to teach him, since he was ‘the best, n’all.’

 

                Cap watched Cotton as he fired the rifle at the target he’d set up. It didn’t even come close to hitting it but at least Cotton hadn’t dropped the rifle to cover his ears this time. Cotton looked disappointed but Cap just patted him on the shoulder.

 

                “Reckon that’s enough for today, Cotton. Time to head home,” Cap said.

 

                “But I didn’t hit it,” Cotton said, letting Cap take the rifle from him. He followed Cap like an awkward little duckling even before he answered.

 

                “Yeah, but y’got better,” Cap said and the grin Cotton gave him was bright as the sun.

 

                They were pretty quiet until they were about halfway home. Cotton Top scuffed his boots against the dirt as he spoke. “Y’know you didn’t have to help me,” he mumbled. “I know people don’t like bein’ around me on accounta I’m a half-wit bastard.”

 

                “Y’ain’t a half-wit, Cotton. You’re just a little slower to think things than some other people,” Cap assured him. “An’ you got family who cares about ya, don’t you?”

 

 

                Cotton nodded after a moment of quiet deliberation. “Yeah, Uncle Anse n’ Uncle Jim n’ the others.”

 

                “An’ me,” Cap said, smiling at Cotton and bumping shoulders with him playfully. “An’ thgat’s all ‘at matters.”

 

                Cotton leaned into the touch and got on his toes, giving Cap a quick little kiss on the cheek. He settled back on his own feet and looked bashful as Cap blinked a little at the gesture. He decided not to make a big deal of it since it might be lost on Cotton anyway. Instead he just reached down and took Cotton’s hand and led the way back to the Hatfield house.

 

-

 

                Cotton eventually asked Cap about the cheek-kisses and why no one else did them. Cap told him that it was theirs and that was why no one else did it. That was also the reason why he told Cotton that they couldn’t do it when other people were around; not even their family.

 

                “It’s our secret,” Cap had said. “We can’t let other people know ‘cause it’s ours n’ they won’t understand, Cotton.”

 

                Cap knew he should just tell him not to do it but the one time he’d discouraged the behaviour Cotton had looked like a beaten puppy and Cap never wanted him to be sad. Keeping it ‘their secret’ worked well enough for them anyways. Cotton strived to do as Cap told him so he remained surprisingly discrete about it.

 

                It wasn’t a problem until the one time that someone had seen it happen. Cap had been out working in the yard when Cotton had come out to get him for supper. He had Cotton help him put away the tools he was working with and when they were alone in the shed Cotton got up on his toes and pecked Cap’s jaw. Before he’d pulled back, the shed door swung open and there was Johnse, sticking his head in to tell them it was time for supper.

 

                He froze in the doorway and Cotton went about what he was doing, but Cap just stared at Johnse. Johnse gestured to Cotton and then glared at him and Cap shook his head. Despite this, Johnse still approached Cotton. He carefully laid his hand on the blond’s shoulder and stooped down to look him in the eye. Cotton could tell he was in trouble so he kept his eyes glued to the floor.

 

                “Cotton Top,” Johnse began, and Cotton didn’t respond but he kept going. “You know what you did to Cap, right?” Cotton nodded after a moment. “Then you know you’re not supposed to kiss other men, right? N’you’re cousins, at that.” Cotton nodded again, and Cap felt awful for making Cotton feel so nervous and guilty.

 

                They finished putting away all the things they’d used and left the shed. As a last bit of advice before they went inside, Johnse stopped Cotton in the doorway of the shed and told him; “It ain’t right, Cotton. Even you gotta know how wrong that is.”

 

-

 

                Cotton Top was quiet as they ate supper and all through cleaning up after the meal. Cap half expected him to start babbling about his day at any second, and that was how he knew Cotton was upset. Once the dishes were done, Cotton was dismissed to go to bed by Levicy and Cap followed him.

 

                Cap shut the door behind them and Cotton started, turning slowly. “Hi Cap,” he mumbled, turning back towards his bed and pulling back the covers. Cap stayed close to the door, watching as Cotton stripped down to his underthings and crawled under the covers. Once he was securely situated in bed, Cap sat down on the edge.

 

                “Cotton, y’know Johnse was just shootin’ off his mouth earlier,” Cap said. Cotton shrugged one shoulder, eyes trained on the floor. “He don’t know nothin’.”

 

                “He’s prob’ly right though,” Cotton said. He turned wide blue eyes up at Cap. “What’s wrong with me?”

 

                “Ain’t nothin’ wrong with you, Cotton,” Cap said. He stooped and pressed his temple to Cotton’s. “You’re perfect just how you are.”

 

                Cotton sat silently with Cap for another moment, before he nosed at Cap’s cheek and slowly tilted his head until he could press their mouths together. Neither moved, just sat there pressed together until Cap finally pulled back. He got to his feet and fondly ruffled the pale mess of Cotton’s hair, eliciting a laugh from him.

 

                “Night, Cotton Top.”

 

                “Night, Cap!”


End file.
